Grain-door for freight-cars



(No Model.)

A. W. ALEXANDER.

GRAIN DOOR FOE FREIGHT CARS.

Patented Apr. 15,- 1884.

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l WITNESSES I/Z 0C WW4 W ./1 ttorney N4 PETERS Photo-Limognphar.Wauhingiun. 0.0.

ALEXANDER W. ALEXANDER, OF PIQUA, OHIO.

GRAIN-DOOR FOR FREIGHT-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 296,907, dated April15, 1884.

Application filed March 12, 1884. (No model.)

in the door-openings of freight or grain cars;

and its object is to provide a simple and improved door which willprovide a positively safe and grain-tight bearing at the sides andbottom of the openings of the car, and which will possess advantages inpoint of simplicity,

inexpensiveness, durability, and general efficiency.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing a grain-carwith my improved grain-door in position. Fig. 2 is a vertical transversesectional view, in detail, taken through the grain-door and side of thecar. Fig. 3 is a similar detail sectional view taken on a horizontalplane. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of my improved grain-door,showing its inner face.

Corresponding parts in the figures are denoted by the same letters ofreference.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the body of the car, in which isprovided the usual rectangular door-opening, B.

O designates the frame of my improved grain-door, which is ofrectangular form, and is adapted to fit the lower portion of thedooropening of the car. This frame 0 may be constructed of wood ormetal, in any suitable manner; but it preferably comprises upright endpieces, 0 c, which are united by a series of horizontal bars, 0 0, thesebars being braced by a central vertical strip, 0 having recesses ormortises 0 which receive the said bars.

D designates the surface of the door, which is formed of wood, metal,cloth, or other suitable material, and is secured over the inner face ofthe frame 0 by nails (1, or any other suitable means. This surface is,however,

preferably constructed of substantial waterproof straw-board orpasteboard. The ends D D are extended, as shown, around the ends of theframe 0, and over the outer face of the said ends, and are secured tothis outer face in any suitable manner. By thus extending the surface orcovering of the frame around the ends, a neat and safe joint is formedbetween the ends of the grain-door and the side edges of the opening ofthe car when the door is set in position. A flexible strip, E, issocured between the frame 0 and the surfaceD at the bottom of the door,and projects from the same preferably from three to four inches. Thisstrip extends longitudinally along the bottom of the door, and comesunder the lower edge of the same when the door is in position, thusforming a tight and safe joint at the bottom. By this generalconstruction the graindoor will tightly fit the opening in the car, andit is secured from accidental displacement by staples, or any othersuitable devices.

It will be understood that I reserve to my self the right to make allsuch modifications in the construction of my improved grain: door asproperly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention-as, forinstance, the surface or covering may be formed of a combination of.suitable materials.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, in a grain-door, with theframe, of a surface or covering secured over the face of the same, andhaving its ends extended around the ends of the frame and secured to theopposite face thereof, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, in a grain-door, of the frame, a surface or coveringsecured over the face of the frame and having its ends extended aroundthe ends thereof, and a longitudinal flexible strip projecting from thebottom, sub stantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, in a grain-door, of the frame, a surface or coveringsecured over the face of the same, and a longitudinal flexible stripsecured between the frame and surface and projecting from the bottom ofthe door, substantially as set forth.

4. As an improvement in grain-doors, the combination of the frame, thesurface or covering secured over the face of the same and proofpasteboard surface or covering secured to IO having its ends extendedaround the ends of l the face of the same, substantially as set forth.the frame and secured to the opposite face 1 In testiinonywhereoflmysignaturein thereof, and a longitudinal flexible strip sei presence oftwo Witnesses.

5 cured between the frame and surface and pro- V T T T jecting from thebottom of the door, substan- ALEAAB DER ALEABDER itnesses:

tially as set forth.

5. As an improved article of nmnufacture, M. H. JoNEs, a grain-doorcomprising a frame, and it water JAMES ALEXANDER.

